Body protecting device for aircraft personnel



Dec. 258, 1948. J. MARTIN 1 2,

BODY PROTECTING DEVICE FOR AIRCRAFT PERSONNEL Filed Sept. 16,- 1947 s Sheets-Sheet 2 IIVI/E/VTW? JAMES ART/M a Dec. 28, 1948. ,1. MARTIN ,25

BODY .tRO'lECZ'I'ING DEVICE FOR AIRCRAFT PERSIONNEL Filed Sept. 16, 1947 v I s Sheets-Sheet :s

A 7TOR/VE r.

Patented Dec. 28, 1948 BODY PROTECTING Device.

' E NNZEL IQB R RA James Martin, Higher Denham, near Uxbridge,

England 1 Application September 16, 1947; Serial No." 774,382

In Great Britain October 13, 1946 This invention relates to a body protecting device for use in connection with the launching of a pilot or other person from an aeroplane in flight for the purpose of making a parachute escape drop therefrom. Such escape drops by ,2

parachute are usually the result of some emergency and may take place whilst the aeroplane is travelling at a very high speed, as for example when the aeroplane is in an uncontrolled dive or in a spin or otherwise acting erractically. In such circumstances the occupant endeavouring to leave the aeroplane will be subjected to Very great air pressure against which he will be almost powerless. As a result there is considerable danger that he may be unable to get out of the cockpit or his harness or parachute may get caught up on some part of the aeroplane or he may be flung against and strike some part of the tailplane, rudder or fin or other part of the aeroplane, whereby he may be killed, or rendered incapable of taking the necessary action required to make a successful drop'by parachute. In the specification of patent application Serial No. 638,762 is described an invention to enable the pilot or other occupant of an aeroplane to be launched from the cockpit or escape hatch in a controlled and orderly manner so as to avoid the risk of striking against or being caught up on any partof the aeroplane. The present invention comprises adevice to protect the occupant against the effects of the air pressure to which he will be subjected during and just after he has escaped or been launched from the aeroplane. With high speed aeroplanes of the present day and of the future, the air pressure which will be met by the occupant on leaving the aeroplane will be so great that it is likely to seriously interfere with his breathing and may even crush his chest or other parts of the body. The objectof' the present invention is to provide eiiectiveprotec tion for the vital organs and the body'of the wearer against the harmful effect of such pressure.

The invention is particularly applicable to single seater high speed fighter aeroplanes and the occupant will therefore be referred to hereinafter as the pilot but it is to be understood that the invention is also applicable to large'r aeroplanes having more than one occupant and the term' pilot? where appropriate may be deemed to include navigator, gunner, observer, passenger, or any other occupant of the aeroplane.

According to this invention a body protector is provided to cover and protect the vital organs and bodyof the pilot and means is provided to support and position this protector by the back of the pilots seat so that when the pilot and his seat are launched from the aeroplane, the body protector will be correctly supported and located to afiord the desired protection to the pilot.

In carrying the invention into practice the chest or body protector may comprise an archshaped plate of sheet metal or other suitable stiff or rigid material shaped to fit over the body of the pilot and having rearwardly directed'side members adapted to engage and be supported by the back of the pilots seat. Suitable spigots may .be' arranged between the protector plate and frame members of the pilots seat to position and support the protector plate in the required position to aiford the desired protection Whilst permitting sufiicient freedom of movement to the pilot so as not to interfere with his normal actions. Suitable spring loaded retaining means may be provided to hold the protector plate in position in a readily releasable manner both for getting into or out of the aeroplane or for leaving the seat after it has been launched for a parachute escape drop.

Suitable examples of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying' drawings in which: 3

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of an ejection seat for launching with its occupant from an aeroplane and showing the body protecting device mounted in front of the body of the occupant and positioned and supported by the back of the seat.

Fig. 2 is a fragment from a view similar to Fig. 1 and showing a modified form of body protecting device. I Fig. 3 is a plan view of the body protecting device" shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4' is a plan view of the body protecting device shown in Fig. 2. p Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section on lines V V of Fig., 3 showing the double skin construction of the body protecting device with internal reinforcement members.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the body protecting device showing a modified construe-5 tion and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the bodyv protecting device and seat harness with quickly'releasable device for securing the ends thereof.

In Fig. 1 the main frame of the ejection seat is represented at H) and the actual seat II with the padded front of a container 16 mounted on;

the main frame I of the .ejectionseat. v..In..this container is packed the folded parachute rby which the occupant of the seat will makethe' parachute descent after having been eejecte'd from the aeroplane. The occupants hands are grasping the handle attached toaaiaceprotecting screen i"! which has been dnawnrdownsto cover and protect his eyes, nose and mouth and to prevent his lungs from being inflated and injured by the pressure 'of air which will be met when he is'ejecte'd ifrom the aeroplane. .At la'stioneceableriaconnects the handle of this screen to \the -:.actuating mechanism 1 for ejecting thezseat and occupant frornthe aeroplane.

-"fiThe body-'prot-ector 2fi (which isthe subject of thisinventionbcomprises a light stiff cover plate of sheet materialssuchuas. light metal alloy, steel rflrotherrsu itablessheet material. This is shaped to-fnt looselyover the front of the body. of the oc- .ciipant ofi-the seataandis supported clear of the hodychyttheirearward extensions 2| and 22 at taifihaside nvhich :engage against abutments l9 mtthezbaok 1230f the seat II. The body protectorlfliisssecuredito .the.wear.ers body by the aststp tntwhich extends .round his back.. The .seatl'h'amess'straps 24 and 2 pass over the front mftthe'zbody protector and-the ends of 'all are 'secmedlmarccmmon"fastening devicel'zfi which mayobeaactuatedtoirelease them all simultaneioaislyiwhen required.

. bodyiprotector ldas;shown*in;1iigs.'3 and lfiiisifiormedzoft'an inner layer 2'? and' anouter iayeniw oi= sheet: material bent'and f ormed to the desired: -curved:;shape to fit "over but clear of the body (indicated :by ithe line -33) and internal stiffening strips 29 of channel section withoutmmed' zflanges are arranged; bet-ween and are semrcdrtooat least one of the two layers 21' and 28. This provides sufiicientistiffness .to;prevent trending-nor: flexing :ofuthe body protector ;so that :rearward :extensions .2! and -22 engaging againstaabutments- H) on the back of the seat-will holdttheprotector clear: of the bodyandprotact l it'rflndxthe vital. organs therein --:against the effect of the air pressure which will :be met when .thGoSEB-t a-anddts occupant-are ejected from the 'aepgplane. The L3 at-each side of the seat l2 will prevent the occupants legs from be- ,ingiioreed apart by the ainpressure.

In Figs. 2 and 4 is shownrarmodified -form of protector -40, thessidesA l .of which .extend rearwardly at each side of the bodyeiifltoahut against forwardly ,proiecting .side members 42 e of the hackllZ .Qftheseattand.positioning spigots 43 i -M linaarranged betweenthem. .The-spigots 43 may act as spring catches to. secure .theprotector .20 .to .the projectingv sides v L2 of .the seat. The pack .44 iin.'.liig. .4 .represents a folded inflatable dinghy "for use by the occupant of the seat if he should alighton water.

, llnFigo is shown a modified construction of thefbody protector 'lflinwhich the innerlayer 21 and outer layer 28 are connected at intervals by the internal stiffening strips 45 of channel section, the upper and lower edges being tapered oil. to a thinner section as shown. An opening is provided in the outer layer 28 to form the recess 46 in which may be accommodated the fastening cdevice' 2filfor securing theeends of the seaflharness 'straps 2d- -and 25. In Fig. 7 these straps 24 and 25 are each shown with a latch splate 41 the ends of which may be inserted into andsecuredin the drum-shaped fastenin device 226. All the latch plates 4'! and with them the strap ends may be simultaneously released by iroperatingithe centre knob 48 of the fastening clevice 26.

-If .desired vthehody protector 20 may be se- .cured.in position by the clothes or flying suit of the occupant of the seat and it may be embodied 'in the flying suit of a pilot but in all cases the rearward extensions 2i. and 22 or the side memberswM-zare arranged to engage against and ibessupnorted by the --a-butments it! and 42 re- .spectivelynon lthewseat sothat the body. protector @MRWilltbQ supported by the seat, clear of the body so asztolrelieve: the occupant of the seat from the pressure :of thez-air-which will be encountered ifi-and'when theseatwith its occupant is launched fireman aeroplane when in flight.

sit-claim:

'1. -ALbOdyprotecting device for the personnel .ofeairenafh comprising .a .cover plate shaped and iadapted tofit over the front of the body and eearwardeextensionsfrom the-sides of the cover .ptlateeadapted.to=engage abutments on an ejec- .tion :seat 1-for launchin from an aircraft and WhiChiSlIQPOI't thecover plate-free of the body oftthezoccupantofthe seat-so as to protect the bodyaand-the-vitalorgans: therein from the press-meaof thaair which will be met if and when the seat wzith its: occupant islaunched from the a;:- crafhinflight.

.2.111; a -.body .protectin g 1 device according to .olaim.-. 1,z.means ior secnring the cover plate over .the .frontcof the-body of-the'user, upper and lowerrrearwardly. directed extension at each side of thetcoverplate adaptedto engage abutments omthebaoknfrtheseat.

:3.:In QJbOGX QIOtQCtiDg dEVlCB according to claim l, -zan=inner--and-ian outer layer of stiff sheet materialsspaced-apart and connected by internal .stifi eningistrips'of ichannel section to prevent fiexiontoftthe cover plate by the-air pressure.

-4..:In;-a:body protecting device, a cover plate comprising inner-andzouter'layers of stiff sheet material :shaped lto conform approximately to .the-tcontour ioftthebody, shaped stifiening strips secured between the inner and outer layers, rearwardly directedsside. members adapted to engage ngalinstealmtments on the back of the seat and a stnap-forasecuring the-cover plate over the front vof-..the.-hotly.

:5. 'In ea body 1 protecting device according to claim 4, harness strapssecured to the seat and extending over the cover plate, latch plates securedtothe ends ofeach harness strap, a single fasteningdeviee-intoWhich-all the latch plates may-.be-inscrted-and .aesingle releasing means by whichsalltthe latch. plates may. be simultaneously released.

JAMES MARTIN.

No references cited. 

